Best Rodney The Giant Podcasts (2024)

1
Caoilinn Hughes Is Barely Patient Enough to Write 33:21

24m ago33:21

33:21

Caoilinn Hughes is an Irish poet and writer whose debut novel Orchid And The Wasp was published in 2018 to rave reviews. Her third and latest novel, The Alternatives, might be her best yet, and this week she sits down with Michael to discuss it. Reading list: Gathering Evidence, Caoilinn Hughes, 2014 Orchid And The Wasp, Caoilinn Hughes, 2018 The W…

1
Literary Giant Rodney Hall Wishes He Was Taller 31:20

8d ago31:20

31:20

Rodney Hall might be the greatest Australian writer you’ve never heard of. He is a two-time Miles Franklin Award winner and has published dozens of books of fiction, poetry and memoir across his long career. Now 88, Rodney has just released his 14th novel titled Vortex and it might be his best. This week, Michael sits down with Rodney to discuss hi…

1
It’s Not Roxane Gay’s Job to Make People Happy 31:57

7d ago31:57

31:57

Roxane Gay is a prominent American author, professor, and cultural critic known for her unflinching honesty, quick wit, and razor-sharp intellect. She has gained acclaim for her essays, fiction, and memoirs that explore identity, gender, race, and body image. This week, Roxane joins Michael for a conversation about what it means to be a public inte…

1
The Multiple Belongings of Elif Shafak 32:18

6d ago32:18

32:18

Elif Shafak is an award-winning British Turkish novelist whose work has been translated into fifty-five languages. She is a self-described “citizen of the world” and has become a notable public intellectual and human rights activist. Elif's latest novel, There are Rivers in the Sky, stretches across millenia, following a single drop of water. This …

1
Eric Beecher Is a Media Mongrel 31:17

22d ago31:17

31:17

Eric Beecher is a news man. As a journalist, he’s worked for some of the most well-respected newspapers in the world, including the Sydney Morning Herald and the Wall Street Journal. As his career progressed, Eric climbed the media ladder: he’s currently the head of Private Media, which runs the website, Crikey. This week, Michael sits down with Er…

1
Alexis Wright Is the 2024 Miles Franklin Winner 31:22

1M ago31:22

31:22

Alexis Wright’s 2023 novel Praiseworthy has just been awarded the Miles Franklin Award. It also won the Stella Prize and has been described as “an astonishing feat of storytelling and sovereign imagination.” In this special episode, Alexis joins Michael for a conversation about Praiseworthy and reveals why she decided very early on in her literary …

1
Evie Wyld Is Having More Fun Than You Think 31:56

1M ago31:56

31:56

Evie Wyld writes dark and often trauma-informed books, but she also has a remarkable capacity to capture the tenderness of memory. Her novels have been a critical and commercial success, with her second, All The Birds Singing, winning the Miles Franklin and her third, The Bass Rock, taking home the 2021 Stella Prize. This week, Michael sits down wi…

1
Michael Robotham and His Cabana of Cruelty 28:24

21d ago28:24

28:24

Michael Robotham began his career as a ghost writer, working on more than a dozen bestselling books for people like Tony Bullimore and Geri Halliwell, before he published a novel under his own name. Twenty years later, he has just released his 18th book, a new crime novel titled Storm Child. This week, the two Michaels sit down together for a conve…

1
Dylin Hardcastle Has Found Their Own Voice 31:07

2M ago31:07

31:07

Dylin Hardcastle has been publishing their writing since they were 21, having now completed a memoir, a book of YA fiction and two novels. In their latest work, Dylin takes the reader back to 1972, and across three decades, explores the parallel lives of two women, shaped by their contrasting experiences of desire. This week, Michael sits down with…

1
We Visited Gerald Murnane at the Goroke Golf Course 38:00

2M ago38:00

38:00

Gerald Murnane doesn’t have readers, he has acolytes. The New Yorker described him as “the reclusive giant of Australian letters”. He’s written 10 novels, several collections of short stories and essays, and a memoir about horse racing. Together these books represent one of the most formidable and singular bodies of work in literature. This week, M…

1
Michael Ondaatje Is Learning Everything Again 30:54

2M ago30:54

30:54

Sri Lankan-born Canadian essayist, poet, and Booker Prize-winning novelist Michael Ondaatje has just released a stunning collection of poems. Ondaatje is now 80 years old and it’s almost half a century since he published his first novel; even longer since he first published poetry. This week, Michael joins Read This for a conversation about A Year …

1
Paul Murray and the Beautiful Opera of Life 33:28

2M ago33:28

33:28

Paul Murray’s last two novels, Skippy Dies and The Mark and the Void, were both modern masterpieces of institutional failure. In his 2023 Booker Prize shortlisted novel, The Bee Sting, the failing institution Paul turns his comedic eye to is the family. This week, Michael and Paul sit down for a discussion about fraudulence, empathy, and the beauti…

1
Don’t Call Paul Lynch’s Book a Political Novel 37:18

3M ago37:18

37:18

For many years, Irish writer Paul Lynch was a household name…in France. And while his work was popular in translation, and received numerous French literary awards, it was still considered niche. This all changed in 2023, following the release of Prophet Song, which was critically lauded and eventually won the holy grail of English language literar…

1
Leslie Jamison’s Search History 32:23

3M ago32:23

32:23

Leslie Jamison is celebrated for her ability to link the personal to the cultural to the critical in ways that resonate and move and connect with readers. She first did it with The Empathy Exams – an essay, then a best-selling, award-winning collection. Now she is back with a new book, Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story, a memoir about rebuildin…

1
What Is Wrong with Viet Thanh Nguyen? 31:41

3M ago31:41

31:41

In 2015, Viet Thanh Nguyen was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his debut novel, The Sympathizer. Now, nearly a decade later, the book has been adapted into an HBO miniseries of the same name. This week, Michael sits down with Viet for a conversation about his latest book, A Man with Two Faces, which expands beyond the familiar beats of memoir, and fea…

1
All Bruce Pascoe Needs Is a Biro 29:00

3M ago29:00

29:00

It was 2014 when Bruce Pascoe went from being a prolific, yet relatively unknown writer, to public enemy #1 in Australia’s culture wars. That was the year that Bruce published his now infamous book, Dark Emu, and its re-examination of accepted historical accounts of pre-invasion Australia. This week, he joins Michael for a discussion about his new …

1
Miranda July Wrote the Book She Couldn’t Find 32:59

4M ago32:59

32:59

Writer, artist, and filmmaker Miranda July has a devoted – even rabid – following, through her writing, her work on the screen, and her collaborative art projects. Her debut 2007 collection of short stories No One Belongs Here More Than You was a publishing sensation, and her debut film, Me and You and Everyone We Know, won the Palme D’Or at Cannes…

1
Andrew O’Hagan’s Big Dickensian Energy 32:47

4M ago32:47

32:47

Across half a dozen novels, Andrew O’Hagan has made a name for himself as an author of delicacy and grace, painting the community he comes from, in Scotland’s west, with tenderness and wry, affectionate humour. His latest, Caledonian Road, follows art historian Campbell Flynn. A man who is at a turning point and is about to come up against his own …

1
It’s Winnie Dunn’s Turn in the Spotlight 28:01

4M ago28:01

28:01

Winnie Dunn is used to being behind the scenes. As the general manager of Sweatshop Literacy Movement in Western Sydney, she has been instrumental in helping other writers find their voice. But now, the spotlight is on her. This week, Michael sits down with Winnie for a conversation about her debut novel, Dirt Poor Islanders. She reflects on the de…

1
Resisting Catharsis with Sloane Crosley 32:41

4M ago32:41

32:41

Sloane Crosley is known for her funny and acerbic personal essays, including her New York Times’ best-selling collection I Was Told There’d Be Cake. But in her new memoir she digs much deeper to examine the loss of her best friend. This week, Michael sits down with Sloane to discuss Grief Is For People, and Sloane reveals the challenges of writing …

1
See You Next Week! 1:25

5M ago1:25

1:25

We're off this Thursday, but we'll be back next week. Email us: readthis@schwartzmedia.com.au Socials: Stay in touch with Read This on Instagram and TwitterBy Schwartz Media

1
Morris Gleitzman’s World of Possibilities 31:17

5M ago31:17

31:17

Morris Gleitzman is an Australian institution. A beloved author of novels for young people, Morris is known for his ability to be funny and warm without shying away from the realities of life. He has been writing for almost half a century now and has delighted generations of readers with his more than 40 books of fiction. This week, Michael and Mor…

1
Vulgarity, Death, and Patrick deWitt 28:12

5M ago28:12

28:12

Patrick deWitt has made a career out of creating eccentric, unforgettable characters. From his gun-slinging duo in the darkly comic The Sisters Brothers, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize to the severely unsympathetic down-at-heel aristocrats in The French Exit. But in his fifth novel, The Librarianist, Patrick employs his signature verve …

1
Louise Milligan Wears Her Heart on Her Sleeve 25:40

5M ago25:40

25:40

Star investigative journalist Louise Milligan has spent her career working on some of the most high-profile criminal cases in Australia. This incredible breadth of experience informs her first novel Pheasant’s Nest, which follows the abduction of a young journalist and provides a unique insight into the media, policing and politics that surround a …

1
Friends, Mary Beard Fans, Countrymen, Lend Me Your Ears 32:31

6M ago32:31

32:31

Even if you’re not an obsessive Ancient Rome aficionado, you may have heard of Mary Beard. With more than 20 books to her name, including the wildly successful SPQR, Mary might be most famous for her work as a BBC host for shows such as Pompeii: Life and Death in a Roman Town and Julius Caesar Revealed. Her latest book is Emperor of Rome and this w…

1
Jonathan Lethem Is Ripping It up and Starting Again 33:40

6M ago33:40

33:40

Jonathan Lethem made his name with his 1999 novel Motherless Brooklyn, but it was his next book, a semi-autobiographical re-telling of his childhood in Brooklyn, The Fortress of Solitude, that solidified his reputation as one of America's most celebrated authors. In Brooklyn Crime Novel, Jonathan returns to the Brooklyn of his childhood, but this t…

1
Anne Enright Is Not Really Writing About Families, Actually 29:39

6M ago29:39

29:39

Anne Enright has been publishing books for more than two decades, winning numerous awards, including the Booker Prize for her 2007 novel, The Gathering. This week, Michael sits down with Anne for a wide-ranging conversation about the changing cultural context she is writing into, how a multiplicity of perspectives shape her work, and her latest boo…

1
Nam Le Is Back 30:13

6M ago30:13

30:13

When Nam Le’s debut book of short stories, The Boat, came out in 2008, it was met with unanimous praise and scooped up awards from around the world. Now, 16 years later, Nam has produced his follow up called 36 Ways to Write A Vietnamese Poem. This week, Michael sits down with Nam to discuss his latest work and the importance of violence in his con…

1
Gail Jones Was Saved by Reading 30:27

6M ago30:27

30:27

Joseph Conrad only ever captained one ship in his lifetime – the Otago. In a strange turn of events, the wreckage of Joseph Conrad’s ship now lies on the banks of the Derwent River in Hobart. And it's there that novelist Gail Jones took the inspiration for her latest novel, One Another. This week, Michael sits down with Gail for a wide-ranging disc…

1
Why Kate Jennings Is There in Everything Erik Jensen Writes 28:51

7M ago28:51

28:51

Erik Jensen was just 20 years old when he met Australian author Kate Jennings for the first time, forging a close relationship that continued until Kate’s death in 2021. This week, Michael chats with The Saturday Paper’s editor in chief about Kate’s life and her underappreciated work and Erik shares why her novel, Snake, is the best Australian book…

1
No Dogs Die in Briohny Doyle's New Novel 32:52

7M ago32:52

32:52

This week, Michael chats with author Briohny Doyle, whose most recent novel Why We Are Here explores the complexities of grief, both individual and collective. They discuss the role of writing during the pandemic and how relationships with non-human others enable us to access repressed parts of ourselves. Reading list: The Island Will Sink, Briohny…

1
How Geraldine Brooks Became a Novelist 29:14

7M ago29:14

29:14

For our first episode of 2024, Michael speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks. She shares her life sentence and reflects on how her upbringing provided the perfect building blocks for a career as a writer. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Reading list: Nine Parts of Desire, Geraldine Brooks, 1994 Foreign Correspondence, Ge…

1
Read This is back Feb 8! 2:10

7M ago2:10

2:10

By Schwartz Media

1
We Went to Fitzroy Pool 21:20

9M ago21:20

21:20

For our last show of the year, Michael heads to Fitzroy Pool to find out what people are reading as the weather warms up. Plus, some of our previous guests offer book recommendations for the summer holidays. Reading list: The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett, 2020 Down and Out In Paris and London, George Orwell, 1933 My Body, Emily Ratajkowski, 2021 Gh…

1
Max Porter’s Freight Is Proportioned to His Groove 30:52

9M ago30:52

30:52

Max Porter, best known for his debut novel Grief is the Thing with Feathers, has long been inspired by literature – reading it, listening to it, and, most importantly, sharing it with others. This week, Max shares the piece of writing that changed his life and reveals why every single time he thinks about it, its power renews itself like a recharge…

1
Why Michelle de Kretser Wants You to Read Shirley Hazzard 31:03

10M ago31:03

31:03

Michelle de Kretser began reading Shirley Hazzard well before she herself would become a writer, but she felt an early kinship, and two decades later it exploded into a full obsession. This week, Michael speaks with Michelle and Hazzard's biographer Brigitta Olubas about one of Australia's most underrated and underread authors. Reading list: The Ev…

1
Gabrielle Zevin Wants to Talk About Failure 27:14

10M ago27:14

27:14

Back in 2005, following the publication of her debut novel, Gabrielle Zevin experienced a kind of literary trauma, one that completely fractured her sense of intimacy with the art form that she loved. Since then, she has learned to embrace failure and her latest novel has featured on over thirty “Best Books of the Year” Lists. This week, Michael si…

1
The Cause and Effect of Richard Flanagan 31:24

10M ago31:24

31:24

Described by the Washington Post as "one of our greatest living novelists", Richard Flanagan has been writing for more than three decades. His 2013 novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North won the Booker Prize and his essays have been published across Australia and internationally. This week Michael heads to Tasmania to speak with Richard at his hom…

1
Rebecca Makkai Is on the Case 28:04

10M ago28:04

28:04

Rebecca Makkai is a master storyteller – her 2018 book, The Great Believers, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award. In I Have Some Questions for You, Rebecca switches genres with a literary crime story that takes in the #MeToo movement, the American justice system, race, sex, class and murder, all against the backdrop of a pr…

1
Charlotte Wood Thinks Restraint Is Underrated 27:39

10M ago27:39

27:39

Charlotte Wood became a mainstay in Australia’s literary firmament in 2015 following the release of her award-winning novel, The Natural Way of Things. Her latest book, Stone Yard Devotional, is her most personal yet. It’s a meditation on grief, solitude, what it means to live a good life, and what we owe one another. This week, Michael sits down w…

1
It’s Trent Frickin’ Dalton 29:47

11M ago29:47

29:47

Trent Dalton’s debut novel, Boy Swallows Universe, has sold more than a million copies worldwide, making Trent one of Australia’s most successful contemporary authors. His latest book is called Lola in the Mirror, and it’s the third – and perhaps final – in a loose trilogy following young people in peril on the fringes of society. This week, Michae…

1
Robyn Davidson and the Impossible Book 27:34

11M ago27:34

27:34

Robyn Davidson was just 27 when she trekked across the Australian desert. This epic journey was captured in her 1980 memoir Tracks, which became a national and international success. Her new book, Unfinished Woman, is her attempt to grapple with both her own life before and after Tracks, and with the story of her mother, who committed suicide when …

1
David Marr vs Australia’s Old Lie 28:33

11M ago28:33

28:33

For many Australians, facing the reality of this country is a task that has proved enduringly difficult, both at a public and a political level. For investigative journalist David Marr, finding the right way to tell the stories that allow us to see the truth of our history is a personal quest and one that has led to his latest book. This week, Mich…

1
Melissa Lucashenko is our Poet Laureate of Ratbags 28:03

11M ago28:03

28:03

Melissa Lucashenko writes about big ideas and brutal experiences, but she does so with grace, with generosity and – maybe above all else – a rich sense of humour. This week, Michael sits down with Melissa for a conversation about her new book, Edenglassie, and they discuss history, eccentric characters, and why writing a love story is a revolutiona…

1
The Three Words That Made George Saunders a Writer 29:52

12M ago29:52

29:52

George Saunders is one of literary fiction's most acclaimed living writers. Along with his many collections of short stories, he also published the Booker Prize-winning novel Lincoln in the Bardo. This week, Michael chats with him about his life and career, and George reveals the three words that made him a writer. Reading list: CivilWarLand in Bad…

1
Daniel Browning Has Something to Say 24:32

12M ago24:32

24:32

If you've tuned into ABC Radio over the past few decades, you've likely heard the dulcet tones of Daniel Browning's voice. In his new book Close to the Subject, Daniel reveals himself to be just as brilliant a storyteller on the page as he is over the air waves. This week, Michael speaks with Daniel about what 30 years in broadcast journalism has t…

1
Eleanor Catton Has Her Doubts about Certainty 24:49

12M ago24:49

24:49

Eleanor Catton was just 28 when she won the Booker Prize for her novel The Luminaries. Her much anticipated follow-up, Birnam Wood, is an eco thriller, a Shakespearean tragedy, a satire and novel of manners all rolled into one. This week, Michael sits down with Eleanor to discuss her latest book and the dangers of feeling ideologically certain. Rea…

1
Kate Grenville Makes History 24:25

1y ago24:25

24:25

Kate Grenville has spent her career bringing history to life, often using the lives of her own family to tell stories about the kinds of voices who are often left out of the official record. This week, Michael heads to Kate's house to discuss her latest novel, Restless Dolly Maunder, and why she is preparing for the chance that someday someone’s go…

1
Sarah Krasnostein Was Wrong About Peter Carey 26:00

1y ago26:00

26:00

Writer and journalist Sarah Krasnostein initially found Australian fiction alienating, but that all changed when she picked up Peter Carey's seminal work True History of the Kelly Gang. This week Sarah discusses how reading that book challenged her expectations and why many people who own Peter Carey's work might be surprised to discover what his b…

1
Daniel Lavery Has Some Advice for You 34:19

1y ago34:19

34:19

Back in 2015, Daniel Lavery took over Slate's long running advice column, Dear Prudence, using his sometimes snarky, often hilarious, and always insightful writing to respond to other peoples’ confessions. This week he chats with Michael about how his own experiences – of transitioning, of family estrangement, of falling in love – all informed the …

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